Asean News Headlines at 10pm on Monday (May 13, 2024)

Malaysia:

* PM Anwar starts official visit to Qatar / Anwar accorded official welcome in Qatar

* Health Ministry to request for Influenza vaccine allocation for the vulnerable, elderly, says Dr Dzul

* S’wak secondary schools to teach Science and Maths in English from 2026

* Enough is enough, Johor MB tells those spreading Forest City casino rumours

* Fiscal incentives and more in the works for Forest City SFZ, says Johor MB

* Body of Malaysian crewman who fell into sea off Bangladesh recovered

* Fisherman, restaurant assistant charged with trafficking more than 21kg heroin

* Video clip of fight during Youth Cup match goes viral, FAM await full report

* Sarawak’s own airline to start operating next year following takeover of MASwings

* Storm uproots trees in KL, several vehicles and house damaged

* Another tree topples in KL, Jalan Pinang temporarily closed / Lead car in Melaka Chief Minister’s convoy damaged by fallen tree

Mount Ibu spews volcanic materials into the air during an eruption in West Halmahera, Indonesia, Monday, May 13, 2024. The volcano in Indonesia’s North Maluku province, erupted on Monday, spewing thick grey ash and dark clouds 5,000 metres (16,400 feet) into the sky for five minutes, officials said. – AP

Singapore:

* Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong submits resignation; calls it a day after two decades in the job

* Couples can cite mutual agreement as grounds for divorce from July 1 in Singapore

* Singapore PM-designate Wong sticks with old guard in minor reshuffle; picks Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong as his deputy

* ‘I teach Mandarin using Tamil’: Tutor finds success with unique approach to language lessons

* US singer Olivia Rodrigo to perform in Singapore, Thailand, Korea, HK, Japan; skips Malaysia

* Genting stocks rally after Singapore unit’s earnings hit 10-year high

* Oil extends fall on signs of weak fuel demand, strong dollar

* Asia stocks touch 15-month top, wary of US inflation

Indonesia:

* Ukrainians and a Russian face death over Bali drug lab, says police

* Indonesia considers extending rice handout programme to year-end

* Indonesia: Australian accused of crystal meth sale faces 20-year Bali jail term

* Indonesia’s Mount Ibu erupts again, spews huge ash tower

* Indonesia flood and landslide death toll rises to 41 with 17reported missing

* Prabowo prefers Asian Way – In finding peace in the region

* Asian currencies weaken on caution ahead of US inflation data

A boy jumps at the port of the coastal town of Santa Ana, Cagayan province, northern Philippines.The United States and the Philippines, which are longtime treaty allies, have identified the far-flung coastal town of Santa Ana in the northeastern tip of the Philippine mainland as one of nine mostly rural areas where rotating batches of American forces could encamp indefinitely and store their weapons and equipment within local military bases under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA. – AP

Thailand:

* Thailand confirms date for senate election; first poll for upper house since a military coup a decade ago

* Thailand warns public on danger of toxic fumes from Ayutthaya and Rayong chemical blazes

* Thai buses allowed to enter Malaysia, but must obtain permits, says Loke

* Thailand intercepts a tonne of crystal meth in one of its biggest single seizures of the drug

* Emerging Markets – Asian FX falter as markets wary ahead of US inflation data

Philippines:

* China denies Philippine report of “artificial island” in disputed waters

* Philippines to tighten guard at locations and disputed areas in South China Sea

* Philippine peso drops most in Asia as calls for rate cut build

* Philippine coast will block China reclamation at disputed shoal, official says

A flower street vendor walks as a bus passes by in Hanoi,- AFP

Vietnam:

* Le Trang Ngan, a Vietnamese beauty crowned Miss Petite Global Asia 2024

* Vietnam’s data centre market attracts foreign investors, says report

* Three children killed in Vietnam landslide after heavy rain

* Greener way to grow rice – it’s the Vietnam way

Myanmar:

* School’s out: How climate change and record breaking heat threatens education in Asia

* Death toll rising in all-out civil war – Junta losing ground in Myanmar

* Traditional grass broom businesses struggle for survival in Myanmar

Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) on Monday, May 13, 2024 shows personnel taking part in a search operation in Tanah Datar, West Sumatra. The number of people killed by flash floods and cold lava flow from a volcano in western Indonesia over the weekend has risen to 41 with 17 more missing, a local disaster agency official told AFP on May 13.

Cambodia:

* Cambodian PM Hun Manet heading to South Korea to boost ties and expand multi-sectoral cooperation

* Cambodia’s famed Kampot pepper withers in scorching heatwave

* Ecigarettes a health hazard, warns govt of Cambodia

Laos:

* Laos govt and civil society make pact to bolster sustainable development

* From Laos with love – Rare jumbos gifted to Cambodia for friendship

Brunei:

* Brunei tourist arrivals to Sabah see 31 per cent jump from Jan-March

* Bruneian Foreign Minister II to visit China on invitation of Foreign Minister Wang Yi

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (front row, fourth from leff) poses with Kim Yoon (front 3rd left), chairman of the Korea-Japan Economic Association and his Japanese counterpart Mikio Sasaki (front 4th right), and delegation members at the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo on Sunday, May 13, 2024. – AFP

AseanPlus:

* Bella Astillah’s sister alleges Aliff Aziz once had relationship with married woman with 3 children

* Malaysia actively engage with Asean counterparts to fortify energy connectivity, says Fadillah

* Malaysian 16yo to represent country in China’s ‘The Voice 2024’

* Tourist dies after falling off Hong Kong’s iconic Lion Rock

* Chinese Covid-19 whistleblower due for release after four years in jail

* Indian election enters fourth phase as rhetoric over religion, inequality sharpens

* Gaza officials warn health system ‘hours from collapse’ due to fuel shortage

* China to kick off US$138bil stimulus bond issues this week

* Tech giants start to treat South-East Asia like next big thing

* HK star Stephen Chow reignites talk of music collab with Mayday

* AI pioneer Kai-Fu Lee aims to bring China its ChatGPT moment

* Japan to introduce online booking for Mount Fuji trail

* X wins court reprieve in battle over extreme Australian content

* British newspaper groups warn Apple over ad-blocking plans, FT reports

* US aims to stay ahead of China in using AI to fly fighter jets, navigate without GPS and more

* South Korean prosecutors to summon pastor who allegedly gave Dior bag to first lady

* Fierce fighting reported in northern Gaza amid mass evacuations; UN expresses extreme concern for civilians

* Apple nears deal with OpenAI to put ChatGPT on iPhone

* Mayday cleared of lip-syncing allegations – Taiwanese rock band Mayday has been cleared of all allegations of lip-syncing

* A plane with three aboard lands without landing gear at an Australian airport after burning off fuel

* Cricket-Skipper Du Plessis credits newfound aggression for Bengaluru’s IPL revival

* Sultan Azlan Shah tourney Champs Japan grateful for experience of playing against world’s best

* Olympics-Javelin gold in Paris more important than 90-metre throw for India’s Chopra, says coach